[KevinDavis]

[Red Steel]

Go VASIMIR! Go Ad Astra!

[Red Steel]

Franklin Chang Diaz: I've always said that in order for us to conduct a serious space-exploration program, we need to develop two things: power and propulsion. Power in space is still severely limited. Mainly, we use solar power. This is fine as long as we stay near the sun, but the issue remains that for Mars and beyond, we will need to develop nuclear electric power. If we don't, we might as well quit. We're not going to get anywhere without it.

Diaz gets it - completely.

VASIMIR powered by nuclear power - you'll get somewhere fast!

[Red Steel]

FCD: I think lots of people are going to be moving into space. I think we will be populating the moon, building enclaves of research and even money-making ventures there. Just last month, Ad Astra signed an agreement with Excalibur Exploration Ltd., a British company, to mine asteroids [when the time is right]. I believe there will be a huge demand for resources, particularly water, from asteroids and comets, because taking water from the earth is going to be very expensive. We're probably going to supply the moon and the habitat on the moon with water from comets

So Whale,

How does this square with that UN Outer Space treaty? Contract(s) are being written and signed to mine space bodies. Heehee....

Chang-Diaz has got a winner in that engine of his, and he's going to see to that there are space enterprises.

[SunkenCiv]

Alright!